Miscellaneous Cold War technology
This page contains information about miscellaneous Cold War technology. =Small Arms= Self-Loading Rifle The Self Loading Rifle was designed in Canada in the early 1950s by Belgian emigres Dieudonné Saive and Ernest Vervier. They left Belgium in 1946 and headed for Canada, where they went to work for Canadian Arsenals in Montreal. They took with them drawings of a semi-automatic rifle. Development of this design led to the Self-Loading Rifle or SLR, which was adopted for production in Canada (C1A1), Australia (L1A1), and India (1A1). It was exported throughout the League of Democracies and several neutral powers. The weapon was also developed into a section automatic weapon, known as the "Automatic Rifle". The SLR was a highly reliable and hard-hitting. Its main disadvantage was its weight. It continued to serve Canada and Australia until 1989, and India until 1993. Canada, New Zealand and Australia replaced the SLR with the C7, a derivative of the M16 rifle. India replaced the SLR with an Indian-designed derivative of the Russian Kalashnikov rifle. The SLR gained prominence in the Second Falklands War. *Specifications **Weight 4.0–4.45 kg (8.8–9.8 lb) **Length 1,090 mm (43 in) **Barrel length 533 mm (21 in) **Cartridge 7.62x51mm **Action Gas-operated, tilting breechblock **Rate of fire 650 rounds/min **Muzzle velocity 823 m/s (2,700 ft/s) **Effective range 500 meters **Feed system 20 or 30-round detachable box magazine **Sights Aperture rear sight, hooded post front sight General Purpose Machine Gun The Canadian designed GPMG (known in Canada as the C6 and in Australia and India as the L7) is another design by Dieudonné Saive and Ernest Vervier. It takes the mechanism from the American Browning Automatic Rifle and the feed system from the German MG 42 to create one of the world's best general purpose machine guns. The GPMG is now produced in the US as the M240. F1/C1 Submachine Gun This Australian designed submachine gun was a standard weapon in the Elizabethan Commonwealth. It is a simple, practical, and reliable weapon. Its top-mounted magazine is a unique Australian feature, and aids in reliable feeding. C9 Light Machine Gun The C9 LMG is a 5.56mm light machine gun designed by Ernest Vervier for Canadian Arsenals of Montreal. It entered service with the Canadian Army in the late 1980s. It also serves with the armies of Australia and New Zealand. It is manufactured under licence in Japan and the United States. *Specifications **Weight: 7.51 kg **Length: 103.8 cm **Sight - Primary: Optical 3.4 X **Sight - Front: Post **Sight - Rear: Aperture **Magazine Capacity: 200 rounds, disintegrating linked belt or 30 round rifle magazine **Ammunition: 5.56mm x 45mm **Muzzle Velocity: 915 m/s **Type of Fire: automatic, 700-1,150 rounds/min **Range - Effective: 600 m =Artillery= C5 155 mm Howitzer Canada has been one of the world's foremost developers of artillery weapons. This is almost solely due to one man: Dr. Gerald Bull. He was appointed to head research at the Commonwealth Artillery Research Centre in Canada. In 1976, Bull's team produced a design for a long-range 155 mm howitzer. It had a barrel 45 calibres long, and a new type of projectile. The howitzer had its own small engine for limited mobility. The C5 howitzer entered service in 1980. It formed the basis of most of Canada's artillery. C6 155 mm Self Propelled Howitzer The C6 is a self-propelled version of the C5. It was designed to full the requirements of Australia. M109C 155 mm Self Propelled Howitzer The M109C unites the American M109 chassis and turret with the C5 howitzer. It was developed for Canada, and formed the basis of the American M109A6 Paladin. C7 105 mm Howitzer The C7 is a lightweight 105mm howitzer designed for easy deployment. It entered service with the Canadian Army in 1983 and served in the Second Falklands War with distinction. It outranged Argentine and British 15 cm howitzers. =Warships= Commonwealth Aircraft Carrier (Sea Control Ship) The Sea Control Ship was a small aircraft carrier concept developed by the US Navy. In the event, the US Navy did not adopt the concept, but it was adopted in the late 1970s by the navies of Canada, India, Australia, and Japan to provide a replacement for the elderly Essex class aircraft carriers used by those navies. It is usually used with the FV-16 Wraith (Canadian designation: CF-156). Sherbrooke class destroyer The Sherbrooke class destroyers are guided missile destroyers operated by the RAN and the RCN. They are air defence detivatives of the American Spruance class destroyers. Their development was rapid due to the modular design of Spruance class. They have a massive arsenal of 80 Standard missiles, 8 Harpoons, and two CH-151 Sea Sprite helicopters. Australia ordered four ships (under the name "Dauntless class") while Canada was to purchase eight. The first was commissioned in 1979. They were used to great effect in the Second Falklands War where they shot down over 25 confirmed British and Argentine aircraft. Two were lost in the Falklands War (HMCS Sherbrooke and HMCS Côte-Saint-Luc, but both were replaced after the war. The Sherbrooke class destroyers recently went through a Service Life Extension Program, which included the replacement of the Mark 26 missile launchers with two 64 cell Mark 41 VLS. Commonwealth Escort Frigate The Commonwealth Escort Frigates are ocean escort frigates. They are intended to provide anti-air, anti-ship, and anti-submarine defence to an amphibious task force or merchant convoy. They are armed with the Mark 13 missile launcher with both Standard anti-air and Harpoon anti-ship missiles. They also have an American Mark 75 gun for surface engagements. They can carry two helicopters, either Sea Kings or Seahawks. The ships are unique in having an all-Canadian gas turbine powerplant consisting of 2 Orenda Marine Huron boost engines and two Pratt & Whitney Canada FT12 cruise engines. They are used by Canada, and India. Australia rejected the frigates in favour of the American Oliver Hazard Perry class guided missile frigate. During the Falklands War, the ships were criticised for having 2-dimensional radars and only one channel of fire. After the war, they received a 3D radar, and a second illuminator. During the late 1990s, the class received a full upgrade, including a new funnel, 32-cell Mark 41 vertical launcher, and two four-round Mark 141 Harpoon launchers. The electronics were upgraded to take Standard Missile 2. Commonwealth Patrol Frigate The Georgetown class of frigates are Canadian-designed patrol frigates. Patrol frigates are not intended for ocean escort, but are multi-purpose ships. They can deploy in a task force or carry out sovereignty patrol. They were intended to be relatively inexpensive ships, built to replace obsolete or lost warships and increase the size of the Royal Canadian Navy. The Georgetown class have modest anti-ship and anti-submarine capabilities, and can defend themselves from air attack (not they are not air defence ships). They fill the gap between patrol craft and guided missile frigates. The Georgetown class is also used by Australia and New Zealand under the name "ANZAC class". They are the only combatants of the Royal New Zealand Navy. Canadian Escort Frigate The Columbia class frigate was the result of the Canadian Escort Frigate Program. It is a derivative of the Georgetown class, and intended to provide an ocean escort capability, a role similar to the American Oliver Hazard Perry class frigates. They have anti-air, anti-surface, and anti-submarine capabilities. Their anti-submarine capability is particularly potent, since it can carry two large anti-submarine helicopters such as the CH-124 Sea King or the CH-165 Cyclone. The frigate is also used by Australia. =Missiles= Canadair Sparrow II The Canadair Sparrow II was Canada's standard medium range air to air missile from the mid-1960s to the early-1980s. The Sparrow II is an active-radar guided missile. Development started in the mid-1950s in the United States. The US abandoned the project, and it was taken over by Canada for the CF-105 Arrow, In the event, the Arrow was cancelled, but in the meantime, the Royal Canadian Navy was searching for a radar guided missile for its McDonnell CF-117 Phantom fighters. The missile entered service in 1968 on the CF-117 Phantom II. The Sparrow II was highly successful in the Vietnam War and the First Falklands War. Development of new versions of Sparrow II was cancelled by the Trudeau government in the late-1970s, and it was replaced by the cheaper American AIM-7F Sparrow III. The Canadian Forces now use the active-radar guided AIM-120 AMRAAM missile. =Aircraft= Grumman B-2 Vindicator The Grumman B-2 Vindicator is a swing-wing supersonic medium bomber based on the Russian Tupolev Tu-22M. It is used by the Royal Australian Air Force, Royal Canadian Air Force, Indian Air Force, Imperial Japanese Air Force, and Royal Saudi Air Force. The requirement for the Vindicator was first created in 1965 by Australia and Canada jointly. Australia operated aging B-47 Stratojets to deliver its nuclear weapons, while Canada operated the somewhat less old, but far more difficult to maintain, CB-128 Hustler (B-58). Proposals were solicited from the aircraft industries of the US and Russia. Any successful proposal would have to be based on an existing design. The principal US offering of the FB-111 did not impress Australia or Canada. Both countries used the F-111C, and did not consider that the FB-111A would provide much additional capability. Avro Canada, the Government Aircraft Factories of Australia, and Tupolev proposed a Tu-22M derivative. The proposal would involve a modified Tu-22 airframe, with Western avionics, and a new engine developed by Orenda Engines. Avro Canada would be the prime contractor. The prospect of having Avro Canada as a prime contractor on such a major program did not tempt the Canadian government, which still remembered the debacle of the CF-105 Arrow. During the mid-1960s, the US Navy had gained Pentagon approval to purchase land-based bombers specifically for maritime strike. The B-52 had been out of production for some time, and the US Navy was hesitant about the North American B-1 supersonic bomber. They preferred a medium bomber. The Tu-22M interested the US Navy, as it was a high performance medium bomber already intended for maritime strike. The intervention of the US Navy rescued the program from cancellation. The "League Medium Bomber Group" was formed by 1966, and consisted of the USN, RAAF, and RCAF and industry representatives. Fairly soon, full requirements, and the potential market took shape. The US Navy required 200 aircraft, the RCAF wanted fifty, the RAAF 36, Japan, India, and Saudi Arabia required fifty each. The US Navy preferred an American company as prime contractor, and this accorded with the views of the Canadian government, and the other countries involved. The company selected in 1968 was Grumman. Grumman and Tupolev negotiated a licence agreement for a new version, with the right to modify the aircraft, and export it inside the League of Democracies. The LMBG also ordered two prototypes from Tupolev for airframe and systems development. Orenda's proposal for a Canadian designed engine was dropped, but Orenda and General Electric were given licences to produce the Kuznetsov NK-25 turbofan. Grumman supervised the integration of US avionics, and made airframe changes. The principal change was the switch to "box ramp" inlets, and the addition of a refueling receptacle on the nose. The tail gun was removed, and replaced with jammers. The first flight of the new aircraft, now designated B-2 Vindicator took place in 1973. A total of three prototypes were built. All of the prototypes were built by Grumman, however a production sharing agreement was negotiated between Grumman, Avro Canada, and the Government Aircraft Factories of Australia. The testing program was extensive, taking the new aircraft through every phase of the envelope, testing all avionics in a variety of conditions, and dropping or firing every anticipated weapon. In total, the testing program took three years to complete. The B-3 entered service with the US Navy in late 1977. Deliveries to Australia and Canada followed in 1978. Japan and India received their first aircraft in 1979. Saudi deliveries commenced in 1981. During the Persian Gulf War of 1995, B-2 Vindicators of the RAAF and RCAF gave sterling service, including the carpet bombing of Republican Guard positions. During the late 1990s, most B-2 Vindicators were modernised with new avionics. The B-2 Vindicator was offered to the US Air Force, however the USAF preferred to retain their combination of Boeing B-52 Stratofortresses, Rockwell B-1B Lancers, and Northrop B-3A Spirit stealth bombers. The B-2 is expected to continue to serve until at least 2035. McDonnell Douglas F-4K/M Phantom The McDonnell Douglas F-4K/M Phantom is the Commonwealth version of the American F-4 Phantom fighter aircraft. From the late 1960s to the early 1990s, it was used extensively by the navies and air forces of Canada and Australia. The Royal Australian Navy and the Royal Canadian Navy required a replacement for their carrier-based Crusader and Skyhawk aircraft. The requirement issued by the RAN and RCN in 1964 specified a fleet defence capability, and long-range strike capability. The RAN and RCN complicated the matter by also requiring that the aircraft be able to operate from Australian and Canadian Essex class aircraft carriers. Grumman and McDonnell responded to the requirement, offering the Grumman F11F Super Tiger and the F-4 Phantom respectively. For political reasons, both Australia and Canada mandated a large amount of Australian and Canadian content. The principal Australian contractor was the Government Aircraft Factories, and the principal Canadian contractor was Avro Canada. Most important among the Commonwealth components was the Orenda Huron afterburning turbofan. The Orenda Huron was originally intended for civilian aircraft, but was militarised by the addition of an afterburner. The Orenda Huron is capable of producing over 20,000 pounds of thrust, compared with 17,900 pounds for the General Electric J79. The Orenda Huron also has lower fuel consumption than the J79. The disadvantages of the Huron were its larger size, in terms of its diameter, and its greater appetite for air. However, the Huron's greater power would improve carrier launch and recovery performance, essential for the smaller Commonwealth aircraft carriers. The Orenda Huron proved to be a good investment in its own right, being licensed to Allison Engines as the TF41, and used in the A-7 Corsair. In addition, the Huron was used in several civilian aircraft, including the Gulfstream II and III. In addition, the Marine Huron powers several classes of warships. The aircraft chosen was the Phantom. The intended Commonwealth version of the Phantom (dubbed "F-4K" by McDonnell) would be based on the US Navy's F-4J. Avro Canada would design and manufacture the rear fuselage, while GAF would manufacture the wings. Both companies would act as sub-contractors to McDonnell. Part of the avionics (including the radar) were to be manufactured by AWA (Amalgamated Wireless Australasia). Other changes included a folding radome, a nose-wheel extension, and a strengthened arrester hook. The redesign of the Phantom to suit the Huron made the Phantom slower at high altitudes. The F-4K first flew in April 1966, and was delivered to the Royal Canadian Navy in early 1968. Deliveries to the Royal Australian Navy soon followed. Shortly before delivery, the Canadian government gave the aircraft the designation "CF-117K Phantom II".s Initially, neither the Royal Canadian Air Force nor the Royal Australian Air Force wanted the Phantom as either an air defence interceptor or a strike aircraft. Both services had committed to other types, namely the F-X fighter (later to become the F-15 Eagle), and the F-111 strike aircraft. The Vietnam War showed the inadequacies of the RCAF's CF-101B Voodoo interceptor, and the RAAF's F-105D Thunderchief strike aircraft. Losses of the Thunderchief, and the poor serviceability of the Voodoo were telling factors. The inability of the CF-101B to engage German escort fighters over Vietnam also frustrated the RCAF. During 1967, both the RAAF and RCAF submitted urgent requirements for Phantoms to supplement aircraft being used in Vietnam. As a result, some of the first batches of F-4K Phantoms were diverted to the RAAF and RCAF, while McDonnell adapted the F-4K for operations from land only. The land based F-4M omitted the F-4K's extended nose wheel, drooping ailerons and catapult launch attachments, substituted low pressure tyres for naval high pressure tyres, and added reconnaissance equipment. The F-4M first flew late in 1967, and was being delivered less than a year later. Both the RCAF and the RAAF quickly sent their Phantoms into action in Vietnam. The F-4K and F-4M were highly successful in Vietnam, and the Royal Canadian Navy's F-4Ks achieved a victory almost singlehandedly in the Battle of the 44th Parallel. In Vietnam, Australian F-4Ms carried out a strike on the British logistics base at Vung Tau, causing serious damage and loss of stores, without damaging the British military hospital. During 1970, deliveries of F-4K/M aircraft had been large enough to allow the RCAF to begin to replace CF-101B Voodoo aircraft based in Canada on NORAD duties. After the Vietnam War, Australian F-4M Phantoms were replaced in the strike role by the General Dynamics F-111C. The RAAF then used those Phantoms to replace their F-106 Delta Dart interceptors. The increased endurance of the Phantom, combined with its far better radar and weapons significantly increased the RAAF's air defence capability. In naval service, the F-4K lasted into the mid-1980s. The F-4K Phantom was ultimately replaced in naval service by the FV-16 Wraith. The poor condition of the forty-year old Essex class carriers, combined with the far lower cost of STOVL carriers forced selection of the FV-16 over the F/A-18 Hornet. The F-4M remained in service until the early 1990s. In the RCAF, the F-14D Tomcat was adopted as a Phantom replacement under the designation "CF-144 Tomcat", while the RAAF replaced their Phantoms with F-15Cs. The unique design of the F-4K and F-4M restricted export opportunities. The Imperial Japanese Navy used two Essex class aircraft carriers, and purchased 75 F-4K Phantoms. An attempt to export new F-4Ks to India for its carriers failed, however during the mid 1980s the Indian Air Force bought (and still uses) F-4K and F-4M aircraft from both Australian and Canada. New Zealand was offered the F-4M, but preferred the cheaper F-104 Starfighter. Kuwait purchased former Royal Canadian Navy aircraft in the mid 1980s. The Imperial Japanese Air Force did not purchase the F-4M, preferring the F-4E. During the 1990s, F-4K and F-4M Phantoms were sold to Turkey after that nation joined the League of Democracies McDonnell Douglas F-4P Phantom II The McDonnell Douglas F-4P Phantom II is an advanced strike variant of the F-4 Phantom. During the early 1970s, the US and its closest, richest allies began to take delivery of the General Dynamics F-111. General Dynamics expected good export sales for the F-111, however the massive cost of the aircraft, combined with its troubled development undermined export opportunities. In the event, only Australia, and Canada purchased the F-111. Not even Saudi Arabia, with its massive oil wealth, seriously considered the F-111. By 1974, General Dynamics and the US Department of Defense had given up on exporting the F-111. However, India, Saudi Arabia, and other countries expressed interest in a simpler, cheaper strike aircraft. In 1976, the US Department of Defense requested proposals for such an aircraft. It had to be based on existing equipment, but the Government said it should not be based on the latest front-line equipment. Two proposals were given detailed consideration, the Vought A-7F Super Corsair, and the McDonnell Douglas F-4P Phantom. The latter was successful due to the ease of converting existing aircraft, and the superior flight performance. The F-4P is based on the F-4E, and as such it fitted with an internal gun. The F-4P is powered by the Pratt & Whitney PW1120 afterburning turbofan. The cockpit is vastly different to the F-4E. With three multi-function displays, the cockpit more closely resembles that of the F/A-18. Like the F/A-18, the F-4P uses the APG-65 radar. The F-4P retains the Phantom's heavy warload. Acceleration, and range are improved by the new powerplants. Unlike the other turbofan-powered Phantoms (see above), the PW1120 fits into the original J79 engine housings, and requires no more air than the J79. Thus, airframe changes were minimal. The F-4P was designed for modern weapons, and databuses link every stores pylon to the aircraft's avionics. The F-4P is qualified for virtually every US non-nuclear weapon. Maintenance is simpler than on the original F-4E. The arrester hook and folding wings are retained (as on all Phantom variants). A reconnaissance variant was developed. This aircraft is simply the RF-4E's camera nose grafted onto the the F-4P. The only difference is the provision of a TV viewfinder, the view from which can be displayed on an MFD. The F-4P was never used by the US Air Force, and was considered strictly an export program (so as to not threaten the F-15 Eagle). Although the capability to convert F-4E airframes was there, most F-4Ps were new-build aircraft. Users of the F-4P include India, Sri Lanka, Saudi Arabia, South Korea, Vietnam, Malaysia, Colombia, Peru, and the Philippines. Argentina and Turkey have received F-4Ps converted from ex-USAF F-4Es. First deliveries of the F-4P were made to India in 1980, and production continued until 1990. This means that the F-4 Phantom II has a production run of thirty years. The F-4P is still in service with most purchasers. India, South Korea, and Saudi Arabia are in the process of replacing the F-4P with versions of the F-15E Strike Eagle. F-4P Phantoms saw action during the Gulf War, the Colombian Insurgency, and the Sri Lankan Civil War. Category:Nazi Cold War technology